Romantic Night Garden | Local jewelry designer Jade Gedeon's earrings, “Night Garden,” shine and at 5" long these are stunning statement makers. Brass blossoms and foliage are given a natural verdigris patina and then hand-painted in her all-women studio with washes of pigment before being carefully connected. Natural dyed suede detail at blossom centers. Sterling posts. $375, at We Dream in Colour 166 Main St, Essex | (978) 594-1425
“You Love Me” Diamonds | The “My Love” bouquet at Chapman’s leans on classic roses for its Valentine’s arrangement, but does it with fresh, surprising colors. “There’s no planning for Valentine’s Day, at least if men are involved. We get a lot of orders right on Valentine’s Day.” Choose from three My Love options, $75 to $125, at Chapman’s Greenhouse, 58 Hart St., Beverly | (978) 927-0153
“You Love Me” Diamonds | Gladstone is known for its one-of-a-kind vintage jewelry and a tight list of special designers, and this is a beautiful new design is from the shop’s newly introduced Maiden Voyage Jewelry collection. It’s a stunning one-of-a-kind double bezel emerald cut diamond ring in 18k yellow gold. Price on request, at GLADSTONE, 36 1/2 Union St., Manchester | gladstonejewelry.com
Sweet Somethings | When it doubt, go sweet. Pick up a little something for your sweet, like a bag of neat little teardrop nonpareils in milk, dark, or white chocolate funneled onto tiny multicolored sprinkles ($16). Or how about hot honey caramels generously coated with a crisp layer of not-too-sweet dark or luscious milk chocolate ($32/one pound box). Turtle Alley 42 Rogers St. Gloucester | turtlealley.com (978) 281-4000
Designer’s Choice | You put yourself in a professional’s hands when you work with a local florist. That’s the benefit. For this, the “Designer’s Choice” is a great option for rose-based Valentine’s Day arrangements created by Linda Brown of All Purpose Flowers. From $75 to $200, at All Purpose Flowers, Lexington Ave., Magnolia | allpurposeflowers.net
Valentine’s Day Dinner? | Here’s something new. Sign up for one of two chef-led sessions and learn the secrets to making a delicious multi-course Valentine’s meal at The Trustees’ Appleton Farms sure to impress. You and your partner will enjoy hands-on experience making winter inspired starters and entree using our organic vegetables and pasture raised meat. Classes end with a shared meal and future inspiration. Tuesday, Feb 14 and Friday, Feb 17. $80/pp members, $100 non-members, at Appleton Farms, 219 County Rd., Ipswich | thetrustees.org
Sea Dream | This painting by Manchester artist and framer Sarah Rodier. Called “The Upside Down,” this abstract in vibrant colors depicts the energy of the local seascape and it is now showing as part of a series at Bravo by the Sea’s event space. Beautiful. Custom framed, 16” by 30”, $400, at Bravo by the Sea 40 Beach St., Manchester |(978) 704-9388
It's long past Valentine's Day, but does that mean you shouldn't be thinking of your sweetie with some great gestures from local stores on Cape Ann? We think not. Maybe have flowers delivered late in the week, as a surprise, followed up by weekend night out? Or expand gifting into a couple of gestural gifts. And then, there’s the strategy of one, big whammy smack of a gift that skews “extra” (yes, we’re talking jewelry). And as usual, these things are only available from retailers close by. All local, all good.
